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Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Corporate Takeover opens with an uncomfortable argument between spouses, one based on the all-too common issues of taking one another for granted and not recognizing their contributions to the household. There’s no affair involved, not even a suspicion of cheating, just a husband who has been fortunate enough to coast along on his inheritance and a wife who wishes he’d listen a little more often. That makes what follows a bit more interesting, taking a typical revenge story and turning it into something more . . . instructive.

In Part One of the story, while his wife is off taking care of her mother, Tom jets off to a corporate retreat for a business meeting. There are immediate, subtle hints that this isn't a normal retreat, leaving the reader to wonder just how the transformations will progress, but Lyka Bloom doesn't wait long to drop the big reveal on Tom and the other attendees:

“We have spent years developing a treatment that will erase the old you and put something new in place. You will have no recollection of your life before, and you will learn to be the woman each of your sponsors has designed for you.”

While the story is lighter on the ‘how and why’ than some of Bloom’s stories, that element of mystery fits with Tom’s experience. We get to watch as the persona of Katie is built within him, and watch as he struggles to reconcile her with the man he’s always been . . . until he’s finally ready to ask for help.

As Part Two of the story opens, Tom seems to be slowly becoming more and more accepting of Katie, but inside he’s still fighting the idea. Whereas the first story was one of subtle hints and gentle transformations, this one is far more about forced feminization and more traumatic transformations. It’s a darker, edgier story than the first, and I loved the way Tom struggled mentally:

“Sometimes I get these weird waves of anxiety, this voice telling me that I look all wrong, and not in the way I think. When I see myself with my flat chest and the thing between my legs, I know it's wrong, but then I start to think that it's my face and voice and skin that's all wrong.”

The story twists more than once following that admission, so don’t expect Tom’s transition to be at all simple, but I liked the way everything developed. Overall, Corporate Takeover is a bit of an odd story, taking the genre in a direction you definitely don’t expect, but one that’s filled with the little touches that Lyka Bloom does so well.

Monday, March 30, 2015

Okay, so maybe I’m a naughty girl and need to be spanked, but I suspect I enjoyed Amber Topping: Professional Trollop far more than I probably should have – and it’s all Abby Ashe’s fault! Not only is this a well-written, erotically-charged tale, but Amber herself is a fun, sex-positive heroine, one who isn’t burdened by even a hint of shame or regret, who embraces her gender identity and celebrates her gender expression, and who doesn’t have a single insecurity about enjoying her life. She’s a proud trollop and a happy girl with a penis.

Each chapter is its own short story, relating Amber’s erotic adventures with different clients (and fetishes). College Boy serves as a perfect introduction, establishing Amber as a proud transsexual trollop who thoroughly enjoys her work, while also touching on the insecurities others have regarding their attraction to her. It’s also a story with a very funny, almost-slapstick sort of climax, which is important because Amber’s life is often as silly as it is sexy, and she embraces it all.

Although it is shockingly blasphemous, Sacred Whore is also a delightful tale of how, beneath the trappings of faith and society, we are all sexual animals at heart. Again, there’s ample humour to this one, right alongside the erotic image of Amber sharing a confessional with the priest who hired her, while they listen to a neurotic housewife confess to her lust for the pretty girl-next-door. I think this is where my appreciation for the story turned into love for Amber.

A Mouthful is one of the shorter stories in the book, but a fun tale of an unexpected threesome, a talented housewife, and a husband with an extremely prolific output (if you know what I mean). It’s raunchy and cute at the same time, imbuing Amber with a little bit of innocence, even as she invites us to laugh along with her. Lamb Chop, on the other hand, is probably the weirdest, most fetishistic story in the collection. What begins with a sexy Little Bo Peep costume ends with an odd sheep-like hoodie (complete with ears and a tail). In between we have some erotically awkward role play, with the promise of a repeat performance when she gets home to Cherry – her transgirl, sex-worker best friend (and lover) about whom I’d love to know more.

On the surface, Grotesque is the obligatory ‘prostitution isn’t all fun and games’ story, with a focus on the darker, more uncomfortable side of Amber’s career. It definitely is grotesque, with probably the most disgusting partner I’ve ever come across in an erotic story, but even here the story is redeemed with some unexpected humour, including a surprise sort of climax.

As much fun as the whole collection is, I don’t think the erotic and the humorous come together any better than they do in Hot and Bothered. This is like an X-rated version of a bad 80s sex comedy, complete with mistaken identities and Amber repeatedly finding herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. I loved it, and the final resolution of her accidental exposures is perfect.

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. This is one incredibly sexy collection of stories that isn’t at all afraid to be honest about the joy that can be found in being true to your identity. I absolutely loved the character of Amber Topping and would gladly read another collection with her at the heart in a . . . well, a heartbeat. Of course, if Abby were to switch things up a bit and explore Cherry next time around, that would be perfectly okay with me as well.

Friday, March 27, 2015

Well, if it's Friday, then that must been it's time for Freebie Fiction Friday . . . time to put the 'TG' in TGIF (and the 'FD' in Friday)!

Every Friday I take the initiative to search through thew newly free titles on Amazon, and to identify those that might be of interest to trans* readers, fans, and lovers. Even if you don't have a Kindle, you can still download the titles through one of Amazon's free reading applications, and covert it (if need be) with Calibre. I can tell you I do most of my reading on my iPad, using Kindle for iPad, and it works beautifully.

Please do be sure to check the price before downloading anything, though, as most freebies are limited time offers, and some are specific to certain regions.

A nice mix this week with a little something for everybody - from the dramatic to the erotic, from PG-rated adventure to X-rated passion.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

The Story of Control is a remarkable look at the intersection of fantasy and reality, as seen through the eyes of Adrianna Taylor - your everyday girl-next-door, living in a nice semi-detached house with her boyfriend, who also happens to secretly be Mistress Hallie Brookes, a professional Dominatrix with a deep list of kinky clients.

Adrianna is a woman who slipped into the life of a dominatrix quite by accident. She wasn’t a natural dominant, and never played in the scene herself, but after being asked to spank a man while modelling for a fetish photo-shoot, her curiosity was piqued. There’s never any sex involved, and she’s clever and witty rather than vulgar and obscene, but some of the fantasy scenes she constructs for her clients are quite elaborate and imaginative.

Although she enjoys elements of it, it’s very clearly just a job - albeit one with odd hours. We like to fantasize about it being a 24/7 lifestyle, but she reveals to us the challenges of keeping secrets, putting up appearances for the neighbours, shifting between personalities, and taking awkward calls from clients in public. She also introduces us to the stress it causes in her relationships, with her boyfriend often feeling put out by how the role of Mistress Hallie Brookes intrudes on the life of Adrianna Taylor. It’s when that stress becomes too much, and she feels the need to break things off that the story really gets interesting.

During a night out a fetish event, she meets a very convincing cross-dresser named Suzanna, who kindly asks to have her bottom spanked. There’s an immediate spark there, and the night ends with her uncharacteristically offering this complete stranger a ride home. Over the course of the story we watch as Adrianna deals with the everyday tasks of life and family, the busy schedule of a Dominatrix who is very much in demand with her clients, and her odd relationship with Mark/Suzanne, which is equal parts work, romance, and professional partnership.

The key theme running through the entire story is one of control. Whether it’s with a client, a lover, a family member, or a friend, she needs to feel in control of the situation. It’s a need rooted in an unhappy childhood, and while it causes anxiety sometimes, it’s a healthy part of what keeps her grounded, and which allows her to control that intersection of fantasy and reality. It really is a fascinating story, constantly moving back and forth between the erotic and the mundane. It’s never really erotic, but it is exciting to see how much passion, energy, and attention she puts into both her scenes and her relationships. An odd sort of tale indeed, but one with an honestly that I think many readers will appreciate, and which serves to draw us even deeper into her world.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Although she passed away the same year that I was born, denying me the chance to really get to experience her life, Candy Darling was one of the very first transgender icons to whom I aspired. Not only was she stunningly beautiful, but she was accepted, validated, and celebrated as a muse of both the infamous Andy Warhol and punk pioneers The Velvet Underground. Never mind that I didn't get Warhol's art, and was never a fan of Lou Reed's music - Candy, for me, eclipsed them all.

Given that she died far too young to pen her own memoir, I was excited by the idea of Candy Darling: Memoirs of an Andy Warhol Superstar. As a book, it's deeply flawed and painfully opportunistic, but it still provides some wonderful insights into the mind and the personality behind the icon.

Comprised primarily of journal entries and personal letters, interspersed with contemporary reflections on her life and influence, it's a very odd book to read. There's no narrative flow, no logical structure, and it doesn't follow any timeline of events. What's more, the material is presented precisely as Candy wrote it, awkwardly formatted, sometimes hastily scribbled, and in need of a good editor. Surprisingly, for such a short book, there's a lot of fluff and a lot of filler included, but it's all worth it for the deeply personal pieces, including letters addressed to her closest friend.

It's there that we find a fascinating look at what it was like to be a transgender woman at a time when the gay rights movement was just starting to make waves, but when the idea of being transgender was still very far from any sort of open acceptance. She talks of her dreams, coming across as an exceptionally passionate woman, full appreciative of her successes, but also desperately longing for acceptance and validation. There's a voyeuristic feel to reading it, knowing that we're seeing her through papers she never intended to be public, but it's also a fitting way to celebrate one of the very first transgender superstars.

Friday, March 20, 2015

Well, if it's Friday, then that must been it's time for Freebie Fiction Friday . . . time to put the 'TG' in TGIF (and the 'FD' in Friday)!

Every Friday I take the initiative to search through thew newly free titles on Amazon, and to identify those that might be of interest to trans* readers, fans, and lovers. Even if you don't have a Kindle, you can still download the titles through one of Amazon's free reading applications, and covert it (if need be) with Calibre. I can tell you I do most of my reading on my iPad, using Kindle for iPad, and it works beautifully.

Please do be sure to check the price before downloading anything, though, as most freebies are limited time offers, and some are specific to certain regions.

A great week with some really fantastic stories, including some from our favorite authors